The Violet Hour
by bentkitty100
Summary: When Violet receives a message via crow, she, Klaus, Sunny, and Beatrice leave the island, to find the Quagmire triplets again. Quigley/Violet, Klaus/Isadora. Takes place 2 years after Ch. 13 of The End (A/U of Ch. Fourteen). I changed the age differences between the kids - Violet is 17, Klaus is 14, Sunny is 5, Beatrice is 2. Rated T for language/themes. Some fluff. Reviews loved!
1. Chapter 1: Sunrise

**Chapter One: Sunrise**

(Violet's POV)

* * *

The sunrise is the only time I get to myself. My siblings know not to bother me then, unless they really have to. I need the time alone, to think. I don't usually get time to relax; so much of my day involves making sure my siblings are alright, and that little Beatrice is alright.

Being the oldest can suck sometimes.

But the sunrise gives me a break, a time to tie a ribbon in my hair and let my brain wander, coming up with new ideas for inventions...

Not having to worry about V.F.D. anymore, or Count Olaf, or anything like that... It's all over.

I don't mind taking care of my siblings and Bea either. It's nice, actually, just being with them, never having to worry about anything or anyone.

Except I do worry. About one person. Klaus always reminds me that more than just one person deserves my worry._ At least three_, he always says. _Duncan and Isadora matter too, Violet. They're our friends_.

But Quigley... that's different.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, said Shakespeare. And it's true. The more time I spend away from Quigley, the more and more I miss him.

I can't spend too much time thinking about Quigley during the day. But during my sunrises, I can, and do, think about Quigley... all the time.

If only I could see him again. But none of us know where he is, where the other triplets are. All we know is that Count Olaf is dead, the bad side of V.F.D. is done for, and the world is quiet here.

So, the sunrise. I've found a beautiful spot to watch it every day, a little ledge near the arboretum. It's _my _spot, my secret hideaway, and my siblings and even little Bea know that it's off-limits.

It's here, early in the morning, just at the break of dawn, that I find a crow, holding a piece of paper in his talons.


	2. Chapter 2: Message

**Chapter Two: Message**

Violet POV

* * *

I only know of one person who's ever used crows to deliver messages: Isadora Quagmire, one of my only friends.

Well, she and Duncan used the crows.

I rush to the crow and take the piece of paper. On it is written a message vaguely familiar:

_"At the pink hour, when the eyes and back  
Turn upward from the desk, when the human engine waits  
Like a taxi throbbing waiting..._

_O Oysters, sing and walk with us  
The walrus did beseech  
A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk  
Along the movie theater."_

_TWIQH,_

_WLFQQ."_

I translate it easily: _Violet come briny beach. The world is quiet here. With love from Quigley Quagmire._

I have to get to Briny Beach, and soon.

Forgetting about the sunrise, I run to find my siblings.


	3. Chapter 3: Leaving

**Chapter Three: Leaving**

(Klaus POV)

* * *

"You're crazy, Violet," I say when I hear what my sister wants to do.

"How so?" she asks.

"Wanting to leave all of a sudden, and go back to Briny Beach of all places. Why do you want to, anyway?"

"I got a note," she says, giving me a piece of paper.

I read it quickly, translating the code as I read aloud.

"It says, '_Violet come Briny Beach. The world is quiet here. With love from_...' ah, I see."

"See what?"

"'With love from Quigley Quagmire.' That's why you want to go back."

"So what if that's why I want to go back? We have to go back eventually."

"If this weren't from Quigley, would you want to go?"

"If it were from Duncan or Isadora, I would. Or Hector, or Jerome, or Justice Strauss, or any of our friends."

"Really?"

Violet blushed.

"You don't know why Quigley wants you to come. It may not even be from Quigley, either. It's almost the exact same code as the last time."

"Yes, and that worked out fine; we met Kit."

"Someone could've copied that message."

"Who else would know about that message? We destroyed the one on the _Queequeg_."

"Or it could be someone else, on the bad side of V.F.D. Someone who knows that code."

Violet looked at me with a look I knew well. It was the one she used to use to beg our parents for things.

"There's no convincing you otherwise, is there?"

"Nope," she said, with a slight smile.

"Go get Sunny and Bea, and let's pack up."

* * *

(Sunny POV)

* * *

We're leaving the island today.

In the five years of my life, I've been bounced all over the place. From the hospital, to our mansion, to Olaf, to Uncle Monty, to Aunt Josephine, to the Lucky Smells Lumbermill, to Prufrock Prep, to the Squalors', to the Village of Fowl Devotees, to Heimlich Hospital, to the Caligari Carnival, to the Mortmain Mountains, to the _Queequeg_, to the Hotel Denouement, to the island.

And now we're leaving again, to go back to Briny Beach.

I can't wait.

I've already packed up all of the cooking supplies I'll need. Especially my special whisk, that I got from Friday all that time ago.

Now, I just need to watch two-year-old Bea until Violet and Klaus finish packing up the boat.

And that's pretty difficult.

"Sun-ee! Want suh-nack."

"Not now, Bea. We're going to have lunch soon."

"No! Want suh-nack now!"

"We're about to have lunch, Bea. You don't want to be full for lunch."

"Want suh-nack! Want suh-nack!"

"I made mac-n-cheese, Bea, and little girls who have snacks right before lunch don't get mac-n-cheese."

"No! Want suh-nack!"

"Beatrice, would you like a time-out?"

That gets her to quiet down. Thank goodness.

"Sunny! Bea! We're going to have lunch now!" Violet calls from the boat.

"See, Bea? Lunchtime."

"Yay! Lun-time! Mac-n-cheese."

"Yes, Bea, we're having mac-n-cheese. And then we're leaving the island, remember?"

"Lea-ving."

"Yes, leaving. We're going to see our friends."

"Sun-ee, whassa fuh-rend?""

"A friend is someone who you care about and they care about you."

"Sun-ee?"

"Yes, Bea?"

"Are fuh-rends pee-pull you love?"

"That's right, Bea. Friends are people you love."

"Sunny! Bea! Come and eat!"

"Come on, Bea," I say, and we run towards the boat."

* * *

Violet POV

* * *

"There you guys are," I say as Sunny and Bea approach the boat.

"Sorry," says Sunny. "Bea had questions."

"Bea and her curious mind," I say, grinning. "Well, let's have your mac-n-cheese."

"Let's," says Sunny. I serve my siblings and little Bea.

We all dig into Sunny's amazing mac-n-cheese. Sunny wraps up the leftovers for the journey back to Briny Beach.

"Ready to go?" I ask my siblings."

"Yes," they all say together.

We all board our boat, the _Beatrice_, together.

"We're leaving! Three!" calls Klaus.

I put Bea's life-vest on.

"Two!"

I make sure we all are ready.

"One! To Briny Beach!"

We pull out.

"Goodbye, island," I say quietly. "It's been nice. But I need to see my friends."_  
_


	4. Chapter 4: The Map

AN: I'm not going to bore you with the journey to Briny Beach. We're gonna skip right to their arrival.

* * *

**Chapter 4: The Map**

(Quigley POV)

* * *

"They should be here by now," I say to my siblings. "Where _are _they?"

"You mean, where is _she_," laughs my sister Isadora.

"Oh, shut up, Isadora."

"Well, it's true."

"Luckily for you, Quigley, they're here." Duncan points over the edge of the self-sustaining hot air mobile home.

I turn around to see their boat below us.

"Okay, Duncan, release the crow."

"On it," says my brother. He opens the cage containing our crow, named Hector after the man who built the SHAM, as we call it.

"Go on, Hector," I say. "I have a treat when you get back."

That gets Hector to fly down towards the boat. I have a plan that Violet will enjoy. And hopefully her siblings too. But Violet most especially.

* * *

(Klaus POV)

* * *

"We're here, guys," I say to my siblings. "Look!"

Violet looks out over Briny Beach. "Where are the Quagmires?"

Just then, a crow flies overhead and drops a piece of paper into Violet's hands.

"That's the crow that gave me the first message," she says. "It must be another message from the Quagmires!"

She opens the piece of paper. "It's a map," she says. "But of what?"

She looks at the map, very carefully, not noticing the hot-air balloons over her head. A ladder drops down, landing with the very quietest of _thumps_. She doesn't turn around.

Quigley Quagmire begins climbing down the ladder. We all see him, except for Violet. He knows full well she doesn't see him, because he winks at us.

"Quigley," I start, but he puts his finger to his lips.

He lands very quietly behind Violet, as his siblings pull up the ladder.

* * *

(Quigley POV)

* * *

"Yes, Quigley probably did make this," says Violet, not realizing what her brother had said. "I wish he were here to help us read it."

I walk over to Violet, and place a hand on her shoulder.

She gasps and turns around. "Quigley!"

"Well, hello, Violet," I say, smiling. "Thanks for not telling her, guys." Klaus grins and nods at me.

"You guys _knew_ Quigley was here?" she asks. "And you didn't tell me?"

"I was right behind you," I argue. "You could've seen me yourself."

"I was too busy looking at the map," she says.

"Ah, the map," I reply. "It's useless. I made it _specifically_ so you wouldn't see me."

"You!" she laughs.

"Me what?" I ask.

"You... you..."

"Silly goose!" calls a little voice. A tiny child with blond hair and blue eyes toddles towards me.

"Who's this?" I ask.

"_I'm_ Beatrice," she says in a _very_ self-assured manner.

"Beatrice..." I say.

"Kit Snicket's daughter," says Violet, grinning. She picks little Beatrice up.

"But of course." And then I realize something. "Kit..."

"Kit passed on, thanks to Count Olaf and the Mesudoid Mycelium."

"Oh, no," I say. "Kit..."

Violet puts Beatrice down, and hugs me gently, somehow psychically knowing that that was what I needed.

"I missed you," I say to her, very quietly. "I missed you so much." I run my fingers through her long, dark hair.

"I missed you too," she says.

Klaus coughs loudly.

"Right... well... Kit was a close friend of me..."

"Where are Duncan and Isadora?" Violet asks me.

"About to drop a ladder on your head."

"What?" she asks with confusion.

I grab her and pull her away as Duncan and Isadora drop the ladder onto the boat.

My brother and sister climb down the ladder.

"Hey guys!" calls Isadora.

"Isadora!" says Klaus, running to hug her.

"Duncan!" laughs Sunny, running too.

Violet tries to go and say hi, but I hold her close. "Quigley!" she says.

"I wanted someone to call _my_ name," I say, letting her go.

"You just sounded like Carmelita Spats," she says.

I laugh. "I did, didn't I? Wanting someone to call my name."

"Exactly like her."

"Well, you did call my name, and you're here, and your siblings, and _my _siblings, and little Bea. So all's well."

"All is well," she agrees.

"The world is quiet here," we say together, and then laugh heartily at the fact that we spoke simultaneously.

"Well, what now?" asks Klaus.

"We have a house," says Quigley. "We're renting it from an old friend. We're going to go there."

"Duncan and Klaus and I can load things into the SHAM," says Isadora. "Sunny can watch Bea."

"What about us?" I ask.

"You two take a walk," she says, smiling. "I feel like you two have a lot of catching up to do."

"I won't fight you, Isadora," I say, grinning. "Shall we, Violet?"

"Alright," she says. I take her hand, and we step off of the boat and onto Briny Beach.


	5. Chapter 5: Walking

**Chapter Five: Walking**

(Violet POV)

* * *

It starts so quietly. We're just walking, hand in hand, not talking at all. But then he begins running, and I start running with him, my dark, tangled hair flowing behind me. I realize that I am wearing a dress. I normally don't love wearing dresses, but I do like this one: long-sleeved, purple and blue. It's short enough to run in, and loose. I remember deciding to wear this this morning, but I don't know why.

Quigley stops running, and looks at me. And then I remember.

"Your dress," he says. "I love it. Violet and sapphire, no?"

Before I can respond, he lifts me up and spins me around multiple times. The back of my dress flips around me and my hair whips my cheek. I have to laugh; I can't help it. I look into his brown eyes and can't help but smile more as he continues to spin me.

Finally I realize that I'm too dizzy to keep spinning. "Stop!" I laugh."

"What was that?" he asks, still spinning me.

"Quigley, stop it!"

"Stop what, Violet?" His face is full of sweet innocence. "Violet, please do tell me what's wrong."

"Too dizzy! Stop!"

"Ah, you want to stop spinning. Here you go," he says, placing me gently on the ground. "Better?"

"Yes," I say, smiling. "Whoa... still dizzy." I try to take a step forward but instead land in his arms.

"Careful," he says, as he holds me up. "Don't fall down, love."

"Excuse me?" I say. "What did you just call me?"

"You heard me."

"I did... love." It's rather nice, saying it.

"I do love you, Violet," he says.

"I love you too," I say, and then I throw my arms around him and we kiss.

The last time we kissed, we were high in the Mortmain Mountains. This time was a million times better.


	6. Chapter 6: Flying

**Chapter Six: Flying**

(Quigley POV)

* * *

"Quigley! Violet!"

"Coming, Isadora!" I call. I take Violet's hand, and we run back to the SHAM.

We arrive at the SHAM, where Isadora says, "We're going to go home. Have you guys had enough time to... catch up?"

"Plenty," I say, as Violet nods. "Let's get on the SHAM."

Violet raises her hand tentatively.

"Yeah, Violet?" asks Duncan.

"What's SHAM? I mean, I know what it is, but..."

"It's a really bad acronym for Self-sustaining Hot Air Mobile-home," I reply. "Duncan came up with it."

"Let's give it a better name," says Sunny. "How about... the _Hector_. Because Hector made it."

"Okay," I say. "All in favor of renaming the SHAM _Hector_?" Everyone raises their hand. "Motion passed."

"Well, all aboard the _Hector_, then," says Isadora.

Duncan and Isadora and I get the _Hector _moving in about five seconds - we've mastered its operation. Klaus and Duncan begin comparing research on V.F.D.; Isadora plays with Sunny and Bea. I look over at Violet. She's leaning over the edge of one of the baskets, gazing out at the view below.

I approach her, and see her face in a familiar frown - the one she uses when she wants to concentrate. But there's something missing...

She reaches into her pocket. Of course! She doesn't have a ribbon. She apparently can't find one in her pocket, because she tries the other one.

"Crap," she mutters.

"What's wrong, Violet?" I ask.

"My ribbon must've fallen out of my pocket when we were running."

"It's a good thing I keep extras," I say, grinning. I pull one out of my pocket and tie her hair up. "There. Better?"

"Perfect," she says with a slight smile."

"What's the idea?"

"Idea?"

"I figured you were trying to come up with an invention."

"Oh, no," she says. Then she pulls a ribbon out of her pocket. "I just wanted to see how well you really know me."

"You trickster!" I laugh. "You had a ribbon the whole time!" I wrap my arm around her neck as though I were trying to get her in a headlock, but instead bend down and kiss the top of her head. "Well, did I pass your test?"

She ducks out of my fake-headlock. "Mostly," she says. "You know me well, Quigley. You know my hobbies, my interests, my... what's that word... Klaus!"

"Yeah?" Klaus turns toward us.

"What's that word that means peculiar habits?"

"Idiosyncrasies."

"Right, my idiosyncrasies - you know those."

"But?"

"But there are some things you don't know."

"Like what?"

"Well, I never, ever go anywhere without at least two ribbons. You should know that if I don't have a ribbon, something weird is afoot."

"Is that all?"

"I suppose so," she says. "What don't I know about you, Quigley?"

"Well..." I say. "You don't know all of my idiosyncrasies. For example, I snap my fingers when I'm thinking. I pace when I'm angry. When I'm excited or nervous, I talk more quickly and sometimes get tripped up talking. One thing you do know is that I always find hugs comforting. And one other thing."

"What's the one other thing? Do tell." Her face is full of the curiosity I love so much in her.

"I happen to love girls who are smart and responsible and able to face adversity, _especially _ones who invent amazing things and climb up mountains using fork-tipped shoes and hate the song 'Row, Row, Row Your Boat.'"

"How did you know that? The song thing?" She seems absolutely shocked.

"Ah, that's my secret." I found out, actually, in an odd way. I somehow could hear what she was saying when she was on the _Queequeg_ at some point, although they couldn't hear me. She had been talking about how she hated that song. I kept that in the back of my head, guessing it would be fun to drop on her at some point.

She laughs. "All right then, that's your secret."

We stand there quietly for awhile. I put my arm around her shoulders, and we just look down over the beach and soon, the city.

* * *

Eventually, Violet breaks the silence. "What's the house like?" she asks.

"Oh, you're going to love it," says Isadora, as she walks over, carrying Bea. "You won't have your own room, though."

"That's not a problem," Violet says. "We're all used to sharing rooms... even sharing beds!"

"You'll have your own bed," laughs Isadora. "And _no_ haystacks, promise."

"Good," says Klaus, walking over with Duncan.

"So am I sharing with Sunny?" asks Violet. "I'm curious."

"You and I are going to share," says Isadora. "Klaus is going to sleep with my brothers; they have a bigger room. Sunny was going to have her own room, but that's because we didn't know about Bea. We're going to get another bed into Sunny's room for Bea, and they can share. Does that sound okay to you, Bea?"

"Yeah!" laughs little Bea. "Share with Sun-ee!"

"That sounds great," Violet agrees. "Except, Klaus and I sometimes like to turn on the lights at night."

"We figured that out," I say. "You just wait until you see what we planned. You'll love it."

"Okay," says Klaus. "I don't want to wake anyone up."

"Duncan came up with a good solution," says Isadora. "But it's a surprise."

"I have a question," says Sunny. "Is there a nice kitchen?"

"Oh, you bet," I say. "Trust me, Sunny, you'll love the kitchen. We bought a bunch of stools so you can reach everything."

"Yay!" she says. I grin. It's nice to see Sunny act like a little kid. I remember meeting Sunny on the mountain. She had to grow up so quickly.

"This is going to be awesome," says Duncan. "Just the seven of us."

"Just the seven of us," says Klaus. "The Baudelaire-Quagmire-Snickets!"

"Huzzah!" cheers Isadora. We all shout in response. "Huzzah!"

I look over at Violet, who's struggling to contain her laughter. Eventually, she cracks, or rather, cracks up.

"I don't remember the last time I laughed this much!" she says.

"Me neither," I say. "But it's so easy to laugh when I'm with you."


	7. Chapter 7: Close Friends and Couplets

**Chapter Seven: Close Friends and Couplets**

(Isadora POV)

* * *

I've never been so happy in my life. The Baudelaires are back! It's been so long since I've seen Sunny, Violet, or Klaus. I missed my friends so much. And little Bea is absolutely adorable. The seven of us are going to have such an amazing time together.

I'm happy for Quigley, too. He'd missed Violet so much… it was rather clear he had feelings for her. And when they saw each other again — God! They were so cute!

I suppose I feel badly for Duncan, though. Back when we were at Prufrock Prep, he had had a crush on Violet. When the three of us were brought back together, they had exchanged what they knew about Violet, and Duncan pretty much gave up on his childhood crush, realizing that Quigley loved her in a different, deeper way.

I, on the other hand, have retained my childhood crush on Klaus. There. I've said it. I've liked him from the moment we met. All those times we sat together at lunch, and in the Orphan Shack, and during Mrs. Bass's boring classes led us to become close friends.

When I gave him my commonplace book, there was a couplet in there about him that I'd hoped he would read. But Esmé Squalor destroyed the notebooks, and I'm guessing he never saw it. All I know is that the longer we've been apart, the more I realized I cared for him in a deep and special way.

Quigley pulls me out of my thoughts. "Isadora!" he calls. "I need your help."

"Coming, Quig," I say. I walk over to my brother and help him land the _Hector _in the yard. "Welcome home, everyone," says Quigley. "Isadora, could you get the _Hector_ into the garage? You seem to know how to get it in without making a mess."

"Sure," I say. "Klaus, would you mind giving me a hand?"

"I thought you'd never ask," he says, walking over. "I'd love to."

We pull the _Hector_ over to the garage. Klaus opens the door, and I show him how to get the machine inside. I look out the garage window to see Violet, Sunny, Bea, and my brothers walk up to the front step.

"Should we join the others?" I ask.

"Not yet," he says. "I wanted to ask you about something."

"Go ahead."

"I didn't get to see much of the commonplace books, before they got destroyed. But there were a few pages that weren't totally ruined. One of them was a couplet about me."

"You saw it?"

"Saw it? Isadora, I _memorized_ it." He stands there awkwardly for a moment, and then recites my couplet.

_"I see Klaus as more than just a friend  
But someone I'll love until the end."_

I smile slightly. "Yeah… I wrote that when we were in the fountain. It was one of the ones I didn't send to you via crow. I wanted to give it to you through the notebook, but it didn't quite work out that way."

"It did," he says. "You did give it to me through the notebook."

"I didn't mean—"

"I know," he says. He smiles at me. "But it all worked out."

"What worked out?"

"Well, I know how you feel… assuming you still feel—"

"I do," I interrupt, wanting to make that point absolutely clear.

"And you know how I feel."

"Do I?"

He kisses me, a quick, gentle kiss. "Now you do." He grins.

"Apparently so, Klaus," I say, and, taking his hand, I lead us back to our house.


	8. Chapter 8: Home

**Chapter Eight: Home**

(Klaus POV)

* * *

I just kissed Isadora Quagmire.

Let me repeat this: I just kissed Isadora Quagmire.

It takes every iota of energy I have not to begin dancing around in joy. But enough about that. Isadora and I walk hand in hand — _oh my god she's holding my hand_ — to the house and opens the door.

"Welcome home," she says. And then she gives me a very gentle kiss on the cheek.

I nearly freak out.

(Quigley POV)

"Hey guys," I say as Klaus and Isadora walk into the house. I notice that they're holding hands and smile slightly.

"Hey, Quig," says Isadora. She's the only person who ever calls me Quig. I always love hearing her call me that, because it reminds me that my sister and brother and I are all back together.

Violet walks over to us. "This place is amazing," she says with a smile.

"It wasn't before," I say, an idea forming in my head.

"It wasn't?" Violet asks, slightly confused.

"Oh, no," I reply. "It was great before. But it was _amazing_ the moment you and your siblings - but _especially _you - walked through its doors."

"Oh, Quigley," she sighs. "I really expected better from you."

"Better?"

"Less cheesy."

"Well, that's not quite fair," I say. "I think that cheese is absolutely delicious. What I just said there was a bit like American cheese - it seemed fake. But I can give you real cheese that's much better."

She rolls her eyes, but in the pretend-jokey way, with a sweet smile. "Quigley Quagmire, are you determined to drive me nuts?"

"Well, of course I am," I say.

Just then, we hear Duncan call out. "Yo! Calling the C.E.O.'s of the Cute Couple Corporation! Sunny's made dinner! Come into the kitchen!"

"Duncan Donuts, we are not a corporation!" says Isadora as we all walk in.

"Don't call me that, Isadora the Explorer!"

"Only if you don't call me Isadora the Explorer."

"Yeah, Isadora's about as far from that dumb TV kid as it gets," I say.

"You stay out of this, Squiggly."

"We're not a corporation, Donuts."

"SQUIGGLY!"

"We're a conglomerate," says Klaus.

"What's a conglomerate?" asks Duncan.

"A group of people determined to kick your butt into next Tuesday," I say, winking at Klaus because I know what "conglomerate" really means.

"SQUIGGLY!"

Violet and Isadora are in hysterics at this point; Klaus is grinning at my fake definition, and Duncan is torn between anger and laughter.

"Excuse me," says Sunny from the stove. "But when you all are _quite_ done with your little exchange, dinner is ready and there's a certain toddler who is about to throw a tantrum unless we eat." She points at Beatrice, who is sitting at the table with a very cross look on her face.

"Since when did Sunny become so sassy?" Isadora giggles.

"Not sure," says Violet. "But let's eat. Bea can be very cranky if she's hungry."

We all sit at our kitchen table, which thankfully is big enough for all seven of us. Sunny serves dinner to each of us, and then sits down.

"Cheers," I say. "To our first night as the world's weirdest family."

"Cheers!" We all clink glasses. Even little Bea raises her sippy cup.

It's been way too long, but we're together now. We're home.

* * *

**Hey y'alls! What do you think of _The Violet Hour_ so far? What do you think of the liberties I've taken with the characters? Is Klaus too shy and awkward? Is Violet too girly? Is Isadora too excitable? Too quiet? What do you guys think? PM me! And REVIEW!**

**Love forever,**

**K.W.P.**

**P.S. I've changed my pen name from bentkitty100 to KathrynWillaP. JSYK.**


	9. Chapter 9: House Tour

**Chapter Nine: House Tour**

(Klaus POV)

* * *

After dinner, the Quagmires decide to show us around the house.

"Well, you've seen the front room and the kitchen," says Isadora. "There isn't much else on this floor. Just a bathroom and the TV room."

"I'd love to see them," I say, an idea forming in my head. "Would you mind showing me, Isadora?" I silently pray that this works.

"Not until you become more subtle, Klaus," she says, grinning.

"Crap," I mutter.

"What was that, Klaus?" asks Sunny, a knowing look in her eyes.

"Crackers," I say. "I said 'crackers.'"

"Thought so," she says.

"Anyway," says Isadora, chuckling, "you guys should come upstairs and see our bedrooms."

"All right," I say. "Lead the way."

"Wait," says Quigley as we reach the top of the stairs.

"What is it?" asks Isadora. We all stop.

"We don't have a bed for Bea."

"You're right!" says Isadora. "We didn't know Bea was coming. She can share a room with Sunny, and that's fine, but she doesn't have a bed yet."

"What's going on?" asks Violet.

"Bea doesn't have a bed," Quigley explains.

"Don't worry about that," she says, squeezing Quigley's hand. "Bea actually doesn't like to sleep on beds."

"She doesn't?" asks Quigley.

"No, not at the moment. She's never liked sleeping on a bed. It's rather odd."

"Well, she can't sleep on the floor," says Isadora. "What should we do?"

"She likes little nests," Sunny interjects.

"Nests?"

"Yeah, made of pillows and blankets. If you just gave me some spare pillows and blankets, I can make her a nest. I know what she likes."

"Thanks, Sunny," Isadora says.

"Sunny knows Bea better than all of us," I say. "She's always been able to understand what Bea says, and knows how to take care of her. I don't know what we'd do without her."

"She's certainly grown up a lot since we met," Duncan remarks. "I didn't know she could cook!"

"Her culinary skills have saved us on multiple occasions," Violet says. "We'll tell you all about it."

"I can't wait for that," says Quigley with a slight smile.

Violet walks over to Isadora and puts an arm around her shoulders.

"Looks like we both have brothers who need to work on subtlety," she says.

"Oh my God, tell me about it," she says. "Quig is _hopeless_."

"Quig is right here," says Quigley.

"I know," Violet replies, walking back over to Quigley. "We tease you 'cuz we love you… in different ways." She gets up on tiptoe and kisses his cheek.

Duncan, Isadora, Sunny, and I all clap and cheer.

"Guys!" they both say. "That wasn't necessary!"

"Oh, come on," says Isadora. "All four of us have been waiting for this moment."

Quigley puts his arm around Violet. "So have we."

"Awwww!" says Isadora. "How cute can this get?"

"You are _such_ a girl sometimes, Isadora the Explorer," says Duncan.

"Probably 'cuz I _am_ a girl, _Donuts_," Isadora retorts.

"All right, you two, no need to get into this again," says Quigley.

"Stay out of it, Squiggly," Duncan says.

"Here we go again," I say, smiling at Violet.

Violet walks back over to me and puts an arm around my shoulders. "This is going to be great," she says.

"I know," I reply. "Um, guys, can this wait? Sunny and Bea should get to bed soon."

"Right," says Isadora. "Duncan, Quig, show the girls where Sunny and Bea are sleeping. I'm going to get pillows and blankets for Bea's nest-thing."

"I'll help you carry them," I offer.

"Still no subtlety," says Isadora with a grin.

"You'll have to deal," I say. And then I kiss her cheek again.

* * *

**Hey everyone! Poll for you guys: Who's your favorite ASoUE character and why? PM me with the answers!**


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